Gloucester Rugby Community Department and LV SOS KitAid have been working together for a number of years to recycle unwanted sports kit and some of the schools that took part in the scheme gathered at Kingsholm Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

LV= SOS Kit Aid is a charitable organisation that collects unused/unwanted sports kit and sends it to less advantaged children around the world which then gives them a chance to play and enjoy sport.

Every year thousands of tonnes of textiles are dumped into land fill sites, which is a growing social issue with long term effects. Local schools were invited to take part in an initiative that aimed to raise awareness of the environmental issues that affect us all and to collect and provide kit to the less advantaged children.

The scheme proved extremely successful with schools developing some fantastic projects. A number of schools from across Gloucestershire took up the challenge which included Marling School, Lakers School, the National Star College and Rendcomb College.

Each school developed a range of initiatives looking at recycling in their schools, local area and even on a global level and were then invited to Kingsholm to present their projects to a panel of judges which included Richard Westaway, Area Representative LV= SOS Kit Aid, Lewis Ludlow, Gloucester Rugby Player and Gary Little, Gloucester Rugby Community Manager.

Richard Westaway had this to say; "we firstly would like to offer a massive thank you to all the schools that took part. It was what we call a 'eureka' day in SOS, to see all the children presenting their work and thoughts on SOS/recycling and saving the planet is truly inspirational.

"We really enjoyed the whole event and it was so, so very difficult to find a winner. Each of the schools presentations were different and concentrated on the various aspects of recycling. Rendcomb Juniors focused their presentation on the importance of recycling, Marling investigated the cotton industry and Lakers conducted a recycling survey at their school and looked at ways in which they could improve what they currently are doing".

As part of the project each of the schools had previously orgainsed a kit collection. The kit then subsequently being shipped off by SOS Kit aid all around the world to less advantaged children.

Marling School, were given special recognition for their efforts in collecting the most amazing amount of kit. They estimate it to be in the region of 800 shirts and a total of 1,000 items of kit!

Richard presented Alastair Bolton, Harry Ellis and Luke Walpole with a certificate of achievement and he said; "this is the biggest single donation of kit LV= SOS Kit Aid has ever received and we are hugely grateful to them and all the schools for their effort."

Students from Lakers School, were awarded the overall winners for their whole school project and were presented with a signed Gloucester Shirt, presented by Lewis Ludlow.

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